Railway-signal-operating mechanism.



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J. BLAGKBURNA RAILWAY SIGNAL OPERATING MECHANISM.

APPLICATION FILED MAY 15, 1911. RENEWED AUG. 11, 1913.

1,090,378, Patented Mar. 17, 19 14.

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J. BLACKBURN.

RAILWAY SIGNAL OPERATING MECHANISM. APPLICATION FILED MAY 15. 1911. RENEWED AUG. 11, 1913.

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Patented Mar. 17, 1914.

llilll'l Him HEW I runniqm COLUMBIA PLANOGRAPH (20., WASHINGTON, D. C.

- J. BLACKBURN.

RAILWAY SIGNAL OPERATING MECHANISM. APPLICATION FILED MAY 15, 1911. RENEWED AUG. 11, 1913.

1,090,378, Patented Mar. 17, 1914.

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ilNiTED STATES PATEN T @FFTQE.

JASPER BLACKBURN, 0F KIRKWOOD, MISSOURI.

RAILWAY-SIGNAL-OPERATING MECHANISM.

Specification of Letters Patent. Patented B1 1'7, 1914 Application filed May 15, 1911, Serial No. 627,370. Renewed August 11, 1913. Serial No. 784,248.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, JASPER BLACKBURN, a citizen of the United States, and resident of Kirkwood, St. Louis county, Missouri, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Railway-Signal-Operating Mechanisms, of which the following is a specification containing a full, clear, and exact description, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, forming a parthereof.

My invention. relates toimprovements in railway signal operating mechanisms, and is especially directed to that type of railway signal operating mechanisms which is mechanically operated and electrically controlled.

The object of my invention is to construct a mechanism for operating semaphores including a motor in which energy is stored by winding, a gear device connected with the motor, a weighted semaphore, a connection between the semaphore and said gear device, an electrically released means for disconnecting the gear device from the motor, and means for setting in motion the motor to restore the parts to their normal positions after an operation.

With the above purposes in View my invention consists in certain novel features of construction and arrangement of parts as will be hereinafter more fully described, pointed out in the claims and illustrated by the accompanying drawings, in which-- Figure 1 is an elevation of a semaphore in a nonsignaling position and shows the relation of the various parts of the semaphore operating mechanism; Fig. 2 is a plan of the complete signal operating mechanism; Fig. 3 is a sectional, detail view illustrating the means whereby the motor springs are detachably mounted, Fig. 4 isan end view illustrating the mounting for the motor springs; Fig. 5 is a side elevation of the complete apparatus; Fig. 6 is a fragmental, sec tional elevation taken on the line 6-6 of Fig. 5; and Fig. 7 is a detail elevation, partly in section, of the upper end of the armature carrier.

Referring by numerals to the accompanying drawings: 1 designates a semaphore of ordinary construction, 2 a weighted and perforated end of the semaphore, 3 ajournal for the semaphore and 4 a pinion on the shaft 3 connected for movement with the semaphore.

5 designates a rack which is secured to the The arm of the bell crank lever 7 below the pivotal point coacts with stops 10 to limit the movement of travel of the upper arm of the bell crank lever, the function of the upper arm of the lever being to support a pawl 11. I

Mounted upon the shaft 12, which is the pivotal point of the bell crank lever referred to, is a ratchet wheel 18 which is engaged by the pawl 11 at times.

ltdesignates a pinion which is secured to the shaft 12 and meshes with a train of gearing 15 connected with a motor 16 in which the energy is stored by winding, however,'I prefer to use a spring motor which will be hereinafter described in detail.

The motor, through the medium of the non-signaling position against the action of the weight 2.

17 designates a rocking lever having a weight 18 at one end and at its other end aprojection 19.

2O designates anarm having at its free end a spring actuated pawl 21, said arm being pivotally connected with a bearing 22 secured to the frame 8.

23 designates a right angled extension of the arm 20 for-the support of a weight 24 for the actuation of the arm 20 in one direction.

25 designates an armature carried by the arm 20 which is positioned to be attracted by a pair of electromagnets 26 secured to a yoke 27 carried by the frame8. These magnets 26 are electrically connected with a closed circuit of which the rails of a track way, not shown. form a part.

Carried by the lever 17 is a finger 28 which is normally embraced by a loop 29 secured to the pawl 11.

When-a car or engine enters the block in which the magnets 26 are in circuit the current willibe interrupted, the magnets deenergized and the armature 25 freed from the magnets. The weight 2 1 then acts to tilt the arm 20 thus disengaging the pawl 21 from the extension 19 of the rocking lever 17. The weight 18 then acts upon the lever 17, thus drawing the finger 28 upwardly and carrying along with the finger the pawl 11, the lever 7, being thus disengaged from the ratchet wheel 13, is then tilted, the arm of the lever above the pivotal point moving forwardly until the lowermost arm of the lever engages with the stop 10. This tilting of the lever 7 is accomplished solely by the weight 2 carried by the semaphore.

The ratchet wheel 13, after the pawl 11 has been elevated, is free to rotate, but only for a limited distance. The means for limiting the distance of travel of the ratchetwheel comprises a fly 30, carried by the frame 8 and connected with the train of gearing 15 by means of a train of gearing 31, and a dog 32'pivotally supported on the frame 8 so that it normally stands out of r the path of travel of the vanes of the fly 30.

33 designates a rod which connects the dog with the arm 20 so that, when the arm 20 is electrically released, the dog 32 will be moved into the path of travel of the vanes of the fly and thus stop the rotation of the fly.

34 designates a lever pivotally secured to the frame 8 and of a length sufficient to eX- tend to the ratchet wheel 13.

35 designates a link which connects the lever 34 with the tilting lever 17. Arranged '',at regular intervals upon the wheel 13 there are studs or projections 36 which are arranged to engage with the free end of the lever 34.

When a car or engine passes ofl the block in circuit with the magnets 26 the magnets will be energized, the armature 25 will be attracted and the arm 20 moved to its normal position. By the movement of the arm 20, just described, the rod 33 moves the dog 32 away from the vane of the fly 30 and sets in motion the motor 16.

The motor, through the medium of the ratchet wheel 13, lever 7, pawl 11 and the rod 6 connected with the semaphore, restores the semaphore to a non-signaling position. At the same time one of the studs 36, carried by the wheel 13, engages the free end of 'thelever 3 1, draws downwardly upon the link 35 and thus restores the tilting lever 17 to its original position where it is held by the spring pawl 21.

'It is obviousthat the fly 30 acts as a governor to control the speed of travel of the motor and that the semaphore is drawn down gradually. V

It is to be observed further that any type of motor, wherein the energy is stored by winding, may be employed, but I prefer to employ the type of motor illustrated, the detail construction of which is as follows:

37 designates a winding arbor having a non-circular end to receive a winding key, not shown. This arbor is mounted in the frame 8 and projects laterally some considerable distance from one side of the frame, the projecting end being supported by an arm 38 and a hinged plate 39, the free end of which plate is provided with a journal bearing to embrace the arbor 37. The plate 89 is provided with a cam 4 0 which is engaged by a leaf spring 11 to hold the plate in position for the retention of the arbor.

12 designates a barrel upon which there is one or more helical springs 4.3, one end of each spring being secured to the barrel, the barrel being keyed to the arbor 37 by a pin and slot connection 4 1. The end of each spring, opposed to' the end secured to the barrel, has a loop 45 which is slipped over a pin 46 extending laterally from the frame 8 parallel with the arbor 37 the free end of which pin is embraced by a projection 47 of the plate 39. r

In a motor of this type it is possible to make rap-id repairs of the motor. In' case of a broken spring or one that'has deteriorated by use the entire barrel and springs carried thereby may be quickly removed and a barrel with operative springs substituted therefor. i

I claim:

1. In a signal operating mechanism, the combination with a semaphore having means connected therewith for moving it to a sig naling position, of a motor in which the energy is stored by winding, releasable means for connecting the motor with the semaphore to hold the semaphore in a nonsignaling position against the action of the means connected with the semaphore, electrically controlled means for releasing said means from the motor to permit the semaphore to move to a signaling position, means simultaneously operated with said electri cally cont-rolled means for stopping the motor, and means connected with the motor for restoring said releasable means and said electrically-controlled means to normal positions after each operation.

2. In combination with a weightedsemap-hore and an actuatingrod connected therewith, a motor whose energy is stored by winding. releasable means for connecting the motor with the actuating rod for holding the semaphore against its weight, in a nonsignaling position. a weighted lever, means for connecting said lever with said last mentioned means. an electrically controlled de-' 7 vice for holding said lever whereby when the electrically controlled device is moved the lever will be automatically moved and the semaphore released to fall to a signaling position, means connected with said electrically controlled device for stopping the motor when the electrically controlled device is moved, and a connection between said lever and the motor whereby when the electrically controlled device is moved to restore the semaphore to a non-signaling position the motor is released thereby restoring the semaphore to a non-signaling position and at the same time restoring the lever to its normal position.

3. In combination with a weighted semaphore, an actuating rod connected therewith, a motor whose energy is stored by winding, a ratchet wheel connected with the motor and a pawl carrier connected with the actuating rod, a pawl pivoted to said carrier and engaging said ratchet wheel, a lever, an electrically-controlled means for holding the lever, a connection between said lever and pawl whereby, when said lever is released, the pawl is disengaged from the ratchet wheel and the semaphore permitted to fall to a signaling position, a fly connected with the motor, a stop, means for connecting the stop with the electrically-controlled means, so that, when the electrically-controlled means is moved in one direction, the stop will engage one of the vanes of the fly and stop the motor, means connected with said lever and arranged to engage with said ratchet wheel so that, when the electrically-controlled means is moved in an opposite direction, the fly will be released and the motor will restore the lever to its normal position and through the medium of the ratchet wheel and pawl carrier restore the semaphore, against its weight, to a non-signaling position.

In testimony whereof, I have signed my name to this specification, in presence of two subscribing witnesses.

' JASPER BLACKBURN.

"Witnesses:

E. L. VVALLACE, N. G. BUTLER.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by'addressing the "Commissioner of Patents,

Washington, D. O. 

